Children's TV

[ailbhe]

Radio 4 had a little bit this morning on Woman's Hour about CBeebies TV programming and the fact that it's all male leads with female sidekicks. Ha! I knew I was right! Whenever I talk to the people I know here about it they say "But Millie is always right in the end," or "But Mrs Gogglins always solves everythign really" or whatever - "But the female sidekick gets her goals in the end by slightly manipulative means, showing up the (somehow undiminished) male hero. then she makes tea."

It's just nice to know I wasn't insane and that it really is all male leads.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I'm just a bit confused - you want female characters that aren't too feminine? Would you prefer the female characters to act like boys? Encouraging girls to think that being a girl is a bad thing and that they should try to be men? I think you miss the point of children's programmes. The character's are supposed to be people that young children relate to. Most little girls (bearing in mind the programmes you mention are aimed at pre-school children) are 'very very girly'.

Also you imply that the female characters are 'sidekicks' whereas in fact they are the character that the children are supposed to relate to.

Take Roly Mo for example, yes Roly Mo is male and the 'wise old man' but children watching the programme are supposed to relate to Little Bo and the snoots who are the 'children' in the show. This also goes for Doodle do and the like.

[ailbhe]

I'd like female lead characters, for a start - The Little Bo Show, rather than The Roly Mo Show, perhaps?

I am aware that many little girls are raised to be stereotypically "girly" and that they are taught from pre-verbal infancy that girls are girly and boys are boyish. I just don't agree that this is inevitable or automatically desirable. I think boys should be able to see strong female characters being feminine AND the lead character, strong male characters taking on traditionally feminine roles (Roly Mo's occasional stories about the twins are an excellent example of this) without compromising their maleness, etc.

I also think people should say who they are when they are expressing their views in a public forum.